Rotating Arcuate Needles for Skin Suturing Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for suturing skin incisions are either time-consuming and prone to scarring, or they result in suboptimal alignment and healing issues due to inadequate horizontal and vertical alignment of skin edges, leading to prominent scarring and prolonged healing times.
Innovation Solution
A suturing device featuring first and second arcuate needles that rotate in opposing directions to insert a suture into the dermal layers of skin sections, with a drive mechanism and cartridge system ensuring precise alignment and secure closure, reducing scarring and healing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual suturing is used, then the incision can be closed effectively, but the process is time-consuming and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical suturing process with an automated device that uses a rotating needle mechanism to insert sutures. The device automates the needle insertion and suture placement, eliminating the need for manual needle manipulation while maintaining effective incision closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The suturing device is designed to perform the suturing operation autonomously once activated. The rotating needle automatically inserts itself through the skin and deploys the suture without requiring continuous manual intervention, allowing the system to service itself during the suturing process.
2Reliability
If manual suturing is used, then the incision can be closed, but the surgeon is exposed to needle prick risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that acts as a mediator between the surgeon and the needle. The automated rotating needle mechanism is contained within the device housing, allowing the surgeon to operate the device without direct contact with the needle, thereby eliminating needle prick exposure risk while maintaining incision closure capability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If absorbable dermal staplers are used, then staple removal pain is reduced, but scarring and wound healing issues occur due to poor alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different functional qualities to different parts of the suturing system. The needle and suture mechanism is designed to provide precise local alignment at the incision site, while the overall device structure ensures proper positioning. This localized precision in suture placement achieves both painless closure and optimal skin edge alignment without the scarring issues associated with staplers.
Data Source
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AI summary
A medical device for installing sutures to close an incision in tissue or human skin is disclosed. The suturing device may provide first and second arcuate needles. Once properly positioned, the first and second arcuate needles are driven through the sub-dermal layer, or alternatively through a superficial surface, of two sections of skin to be joined. This is done in arcuate fashion and at identical and symmetrical rates of angular displacement. In so doing, the sections of skin are pushed toward one another thus assuring horizontal and vertical alignment of the two sections of skin. During the driving or retraction process of the first and second arcuate needles, a suture is positioned within both the first and second sections of skin and transformed from a planar or a multi-planar serpentine orientation to a helical orientation. The resulting suturing process is thus much faster than conventional or manual suturing and results in superior wound approximation/alignment that will lead to decreased scarring compared to prior art devices.